Councillors have been recommended to approve three controversial proposals to convert family houses into small children's care homes - two at the second time of asking.

All three will be debated by Hyndburn Council's planning committee on Wednesday.

Officers have recommended the granting of planning permission for the new care homes in Rishton, Accrington and Clayton-le-Moors despite objections from nearby residents.

The proposal to turn a property in Grasmere Close, Rishton, into a children's home for one child with up to three carers by Birchwood Children Services was deferred by last month's meeting for the committee, after concerns it was too close to other similar institutions.

But after investigations by planning officers they have recommended the conversion of the detached two-storey, three-bedroomed house should go ahead with six conditions despite two neighbour objections concerned about parking, noise disturbance and its unsuitability for a residential area.

A house in Hambeldon Mill Park could become a children's homeA house in Hambeldon Mill Park could become a children's home

The report says: "When this application was first considered by the planning committee at its meeting on July 7, it resolved to defer determination to allow further consideration to be given to the proximity of other care homes in the vicinity, and the extent to which there may be a cumulative impact on amenity arising from these.

"The nearest care home is in Westwood Avenue, approximately 0.2 miles from the application property which is used to accommodate young adults.

"There is a children’s care home located in Blackburn Road, Rishton, 0.3 miles from the application property.

"Neither of these care homes are considered close enough to have any sort of cumulative impact on the vicinity of the application property.

A mid-terrace in Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, is also set to be changedA mid-terrace in Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, is also set to be changed

"Since the applicant is seeking to house only a single child, officers are satisfied that the impacts on amenity would not be dissimilar from those if the property was used to house a typical Rishton household."

The committee has also been recommended to approve the conversion of a house in Whalley Road, Clayton Le Moors, into a children’s care home for a maximum of two children, with the construction of a rear dormer roof extension and insertion of roof lights to provide two additional bedrooms on the second floor.

The planning application by Kenneth Tomkins of Jigsaw Children's Home Ltd is a scaled-down version of the previous proposal for a two-storey, three-bedroomed mid-terrace house the committee rejected in March.

Since that decision, Mr Tomkins has reduced the number of children from three to two and submitted further information to overcome the reasons for refusal.

Councillors are recommended to approve the application with four conditions despite objections from eight nearby residents and Clayton-le-Moors wards Cllr Melissa Fisher concerned about parking, noise, disturbance and road safety.

The committee is also recommended to approve a third application from Edward Smethurst of Altham-based Prosperity Children's Services Ltd for a house in Hambledon Mill Park, Accrington.

He proposes to convert the detached three-storey. four-bedroomed property into residential accommodation for two children in need of personal care.

The recommendation to grant planning permission comes despite objections from Milnshaw ward's Cllr Paul Cox and 32 local residents worried about parking, road safety, and the proposed new children's home's impact on elderly neighbours.